Ai Love my Baby Girl
by Sevish
Summary: On the day of his 17th Birthday and Coronation as ANBU Captian, Naruto receives a surprize visit from the Hokage and she has a special mission for him. He must raise a young girl whoes mother abandoned her, can Naruto take care of this little girl?
1. The Misplaced Daughter

Ai Love my Baby Girl

Chapter 1: The Misplaced Daughter.

It had been a very long day for Naruto Uzumaki, not only had he just returned from a solo information gathering mission but it was also the one day of the year he had hated for the entirety of his life, his birthday. Until recently he had just avoided the day as if it was the plague, but now he had friends, some of which were like family to him. So the day became more and more bearable. Still, things remained quiet on his seventeenth birthday as he prepared for his official coronation as ANBU squad leader. This day had been a long time coming and he was glad that he would finally get the recognition he craved.

Naruto pulled on his favorite pair of cargo pants and white tank top and looked at the forehead protector that lay unassumingly on the corner of his night stand. The forehead protector he had spent so much time and effort on had much too much significance to him and he wore it with the pride of the very blood he had spilled into it. However, today did not seem the day to wear it; after all today was to be a celebration, not a solemn fight for life. Naruto decided to take the day off and had planned to walk the streets of Konoha all day just to see how people where doing, but that was not to be as just as he reached the door there came a loud knock that rattled his house. "Who would be bothering me this early?" wondered Naruto to no one in particular as he opened the door. As it swung open, he was greeted by the faces of Tsunade and his various other mentors, but what surprised him the most was that Kakashi had a young girl on his shoulders. She looked as if she could not be any more than five years old and had feathery black hair with radiant red eyes. She was clothed in a loose sweater and some very tiny jeans that fit her small frame perfectly. Naruto could not help himself but wonder who the young girl was.

"May we come in?" asked Tsunade with a serious tone as Kakashi played shamelessly with the little girl.

"Sure thing Granny Tsunade." Replied Naruto as he still kept his eyes fixed on the small child. The group of teachers piled into the relatively small apartment one by one, it was now that he was able to get a bead onto how many people had come to visit him. He counted five minus the girl. There were Tsunade and Kakashi, followed closely by Iruka and Jiraiya, the perverted hermit, with Shizune being the last to enter clutching a small folder under her arm. As they all shuffled in like nervous ducks, Kakashi set the little girl down on her feet and smiled at her through his mask.

"Bathroom." The munchkin stated simply to Kakashi.

"Um, over there." Naruto pointed to the small room in the corner.

"Thank you." The little one bowed politely and made haste to the small room.

"Naruto," called Tsunade, "We need to talk." She said as she and the others sat down at the small living room table. Naruto caught the message and followed suit. It was cramped but the atmosphere was thick with importance so Naruto did something he had not done in a very long time, he sat quietly and listened. "I don't know if you've heard this but last week Sarutobi Asuma was killed in battle while on an S-class mission." Explained Tsunade

"What?" Naruto bellowed.

"And Kurenai has disappeared," Kakashi finished the Hokage's sentence. Naruto remembered the family joining more than five years ago. He had attended as Kakashi's guest and recalled how beautiful Kurenai had been and she had also, apparently been pregnant as well; though before or after, Naruto could not tell. Kakashi continued, "That's partially why we're here, Naruto. The poor girl is only five years old and needs a caretaker."

"Here," Jiraiya offered Naruto a small folded piece of paper, "Read it." Naruto took the small piece of paper and read its dark contents.

Hokage-sama,

Please forgive me for what I'm about to do, but I am no longer fit to take care of my dear Suzu. I have decided that I need to travel and I leave the promise that I will come back for my dear daughter after I have settled some of my own issues. Please take good care of her for me.

Love,

Yuuhi Kurenai.

Naruto could not believe what he read, if Kurenai-sensei had truly disappeared from the village than surely she would be declared an A-class rouge ninja if only because of regulations. However, what was worse, she had abandoned her own daughter. Now Naruto had been judged and scorned all of his life so his ability to do the same was shunted, and he considered it unsavory to form an opinion as such until he had gotten both sides of the story, but he was finding it very hard not to judge Kurenai. As if sensing his dilemma, Shizune spoke up. "Naruto, this is a mission of the highest importance. You are charged with protecting this little girl until such time as Kurenai returns to claim her."

"WHAT!?!" yelled Naruto, "I don't know the first thing about taking care of children. Let alone little girls."

"You took care of yourself pretty good." Smiled Jiraiya.

Naruto lowered his voice slightly, "I heal fast." He responded. Just then the little Suzu came around the corner, and walked up next to Kakashi. He patted her on the head and looked up at Naruto. Kakashi seemed as if he was going to say something, but was interrupted as little Suzu spoke up. "Kakashi-oniichan, when is momma coming back?" Kakashi's face softened obviously at a loss for words. Naruto decided to speak up.

"She'll be back sooner than you think, but you can say with me until she does."

"Naruto-" Suzu pointed at Naruto's whiskers, "Kitsune-san." Naruto sweat dropped and looked to Tsunade to see if his secret he had been hiding for the entirety life had been given away.

"It's something the young ones call you because of your whiskers, nothing more."

"Ok." Naruto heaved a sigh of relief, and looked at the small girl. She was no taller than three feet with large powerful eyes and her feathery hair drawn up into two pig tails with a pair of ribbons tied into bows on them. She was a really cute kid and Naruto hated to see her alone. It was at this point that Tsunade turned the little girl to face her and spoke in a smooth motherly tone.

"I want you to stay here and be a good girl."

"Yes ma'am." Suzu replied as Tsunade turned to Naruto and whispered menacingly at him.

"If you touch her, I'll kill you."

"I'm not a pervert!" Naruto whispered back just as menacingly. Tsunade smiled and motioned for everyone to leave as they all got up to do so. Naruto noticed a slight glance Kakashi shot back over his shoulder. Kakashi had apparently become more attached to the little girl than even he knew; Naruto could see it in his eyes.

Moments later, after all his guests had gone, Naruto sat at the table in his sparse living area. Suzu sat across from him with her hands on the table trying to look like an adult (despite only barely able to look over the table). The two sat there trying to figure out what to make of each other. Suzu's bright red matched Naruto's blue ones. Naruto needed something to break the ice, or this girl might not get used to living here. "Do you want to see something cool?" Naruto smiled slyly as Suzu nodded her head slightly. Naruto formed a few hand seals and placed his hand on the table before him. A puff of smoke appeared and Naruto moved his hand. When the smoke cleared a small red frog with what looked to be tattooed swirls all over his body turned back toward Naruto, "Oy Naruto? Why did you bring me out? You want to fight?"

"No, Gamakichi, I wanted to introduce you to someone." The small frog turned to see the young girl sitting opposite Naruto, and the bright but muted expression upon her face as she leaned on the able to get closer to the small frog.

"Naruto-nii, can I touch him?" wondered Suzu

"Better ask him that."

"Gama..tachi, can I touch you?"

"Gamakichi!" the little frog corrected, "I don't mind… ACK!" Just has he finished his sentence Suzu scooped him into a tight embrace, and hugged him fiercely as Gamakichi struggled for breath.

"He's so cute!"

"Thanks, kid, but I need to breathe" Gamakichi leapt from Suzu's arms and landed on the table to mimic a human bow. "Pleased to meet you, but I need to go." Gamakichi went up in a poof of smoke and disappeared. Suzu ran around the table and began pulling on Naruto's shirt. "Naruto-nii, Naruto-nii, what else can you do? Even mommy couldn't do that!" It was about this time that Suzu's stomach let out a deep hungry growl. Naruto laughed.

"Maybe we should get you some food first?" Naruto's stomach let out a growl similarly ferocious to the one Suzu just let out.

"We should get us some food." Smiled Suzu.

_**AN:**__ This is an Idea I got in my head after playing Princess Maker and watching an anime by the name of Aishiteruze Baby._

_**AN:**__ A family joining is a joining in which two families join together as one, in this case both families keep their original name, but are legally one family. I made this up for the sake that I believed a Ninja joining would be different from that of a joining between normal people as the object is to make both families stronger._


	2. Good Enough?

Ai Love my Baby Girl

Chapter 2: Good enough?

Naruto had noticed that he did not have a whole lot in his refrigerator, and if he was going to be taking care of a five year old girl he needed to eat better. Eating better meant going to the grocery store, which is where they were headed at the moment. Naruto had gotten stares and jeers before, and he thought he had gotten used to it by now, but he hadn't really ever experienced this type before. The thing was that in his years as a ninja and as he progressed through his training he had become something of a playboy with the quite literal "girl in every port"; people knew about this side of him and accepted it. However it all seemed they thought he was sterile or something with the way they looked at him and muttered amongst themselves. People had long since gotten over their petty dislike of him when he managed to save the village for the fifth time when everyone else failed.

Naruto, with Suzu's hand in his, turned the last corner that would lead to the grocery store. Now being the vessel of one of the yokai's strongest had its perks, but right now Naruto did not consider his enhanced hearing a perk as he listened to the housewives across the street gossip about how his indiscretions must have landed him with offspring he did not count on. He even heard some wonder 'which of his sluts' it was that had abandoned the little girl at his door step. Naruto wanted nothing more than to rain unholy genocide on anyone who might have had something negative to say about his and Suzu's relation, but then he looked into the unassuming peaceful eyes of the five year old at arms length and all his murderous intent vanished.

Finally they reached the grocery store and stepped inside, what, or should I say who, greeted them next was something that Naruto had not been expecting. "Hi Naruto, Who's the cutie?" Her frosty pink hair hung bouncily as she bent over to look into Suzu's eyes. It was Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka.

"One of your conquests leave her at your front doorstep?" teased Ino. Naruto grinned roguishly at her, oh the stories he had on her. What Sakura didn't know, was that Ino was one of those conquests and was often a repeat customer since he had turned fifteen, but he wouldn't tell her best friend that. He had more chivalry than Jiraiya.

"No, I'm just taking care of her for a while." Naruto responded as Ino squatted down to Suzu's level.

"What's your name, cutie?"

"Suzu Kurenai." Ino's bright expression dropped as Sakura's did the same once they heard the family name. Both of them looked up at Naruto with a questioning glance and then back to the young girl.

"What's your mommy's name?" wondered Sakura as she too squatted down to the young girl's level.

"Yuuhi Kurenai." Ino stood back up and looked Naruto dead in the eyes, but said nothing. It'd make sense that she knew what was going on after all, she was in Asuma's genin team, but what surprised Naruto the most was that they did not know that Asuma and Kurenai had a daughter together. Surely his own student would know about the little girl. Naruto tugged on Suzu gently,

"Come on we've got to get some food you'll eat, Suzu. Sorry ladies, duty calls." Naruto made his way around the girls and continued shop for some food that was different than Ramen. By the time they were finished, they had all kinds of foods, not much more than cereal and sweats. Naruto was going to have to try this again later, maybe one of the girls would help him make better decisions on food.

Naruto spent the rest of the day learning about the needs of little girls, and trying to adjust so that he didn't fail completely. Fortunately, Naruto learned that she was very independent and her only limits were placed by her height. Suzu seemed to love to cook, and managed to make the instant Ramen noodles he liked so much to taste even better. Naruto learned that Suzu's favorite color was yellow, her favorite animal were bears and that she absolutely had to have her hair trimmed every two weeks, she said that it was a habit that her mother had gotten into early on. Naruto played with the little girl made her take a bath as he sat outside the bathroom just to make sure she didn't drown, and put her to bed, but that an hour went by and she could not sleep, so he decided to go in and see what was wrong. "Suzu, you have school tomorrow right," Naruto sat down beside the small futon he had given the little girl, "Why are you still awake?"

"I'm thinking…" the petit girl answered truthfully

"What about?"

"Nothing."

"If it's keeping you awake it's not anything." Naruto smiled a muted version of his trademark fox grin.

"I…" she hesitated, "Momma said that daddy went to a better place." Suzu's words hit Naruto like a brick. He hadn't expected Suzu, with the smiles and playfulness she exhibited, to be worried about these things. Naruto had expected that Kurenai-sensei had gotten her daughter over this hump; maybe he was wrong.

"Yes?"

"Is there a better place than with me and Momma?" wondered Suzu with a curious glance, "Did Momma go to be with him?" Suzu's eyes began to water as her expression turned from that of intrigue to pain, "Am… am I not… good enough to be with Momma and Poppa?" The tears streamed down the little girl's soft cheeks passed her lips, almost choking her.

Naruto reacted on instinct; he didn't consciously know what to do to make the girl feel better, but allowed his instincts to take control. He scooped the little girl into his arms and looked her in the eyes. "There is no way in Hell that you're not good enough and don't you ever think otherwise! You're momma probably went to go beat your daddy up for leaving. She'll be back before you know it."

"Really?" wondered Suzu as Naruto wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Really."

"I don't think I can go to bed yet, Naruto-nii, Can I stay up and watch T.V. with you?"

Naruto looked at the sly little girl and sideways smile she was flashing at him at the moment and couldn't help but give in, "Alright, just this once, but if you have trouble in school tomorrow, it's not happening again. Ok?"

"Ok." Suzu responded as Naruto sat down watch T.V. and placed the tiny girl next to him on the couch. Suzu picked up the control and started flipping channels.

It was about an hour later that the door to Naruto's apartment unlocked and opened quietly. With great care, a leggy blonde stepped inside the small apartment. The image that greeted her made her smile as she looked upon the pair sitting on couch in the living room. Naruto had slipped unconscious with his head tilted back and arms sprawled out on the back of the couch. Suzu had curled up with her head in his lap. Ino moved to Naruto's room and grabbed his alarm clock; she set it up for an hour before the elementary school opened and grabbed a couple of blankets. She walked silently back to the living room and placed the covers on the pair while setting the alarm clock as close to Naruto's ear as possible. On her way out, Ino looked over her shoulder laughed quietly; whoever got Naruto in the end was going to be a lucky woman indeed. With that she left and locked the door behind her.

END CHAPTER 2

_**AN:**__ Sorry guys this was a short one, but like all things I do; I have to get into a grove for it to work properly. If you liked it, or if you hated it, let me know. Flames are not welcome and will have marshmallows roasted over them. I do appreciate constructive criticism as long as it is not skewed by personal bias. Thank you._


	3. ANBU

Ai Love my Baby Girl

Chapter 3: ANBU

Naruto awoke to the smell of freshly cooked eggs, ham and bacon. The aroma of golden brown toast and grilled fish permeated the room with a gentle waft and a slight sizzle that stirred him to full consciousness. Naruto looked down at the little angel sleeping in his lap and began to think. Naruto knew that he wasn't cooking breakfast, and he just found out that Suzu wasn't cooking breakfast, plus he didn't have any bacon, eggs, ham or fish to make breakfast with. It took him a moment with his head still foggy from sleeping with a craned neck for several hours, but he finally figured out that a burglar was in his house. Wait, if it was a burglar why did they bring things in instead of taking things out, and why were they cooking? He decided to investigate. Naruto carefully placed Suzu fully on the couch and got up. He walked to the kitchen catching the scent of a familiar perfume. He turned the corner, and found that the familiar perfume was attached to a familiar person. "Ino?" Naruto asked as he saw the blonde continue to cook, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to return the key you gave me." Ino responded without moving from the process of cooking.

"Why?" At that question the tall leggy blonde turned a rather irked face to glare at the asker.

"Well, I can't come over whenever I get the itch anymore; you've got an impressionable live in guest, now. How can I?"

"What Itch?" Suzu plodded sleepily into the room rubbing her eyes startling Naruto as Ino went back to cooking, leaving Naruto to deal with the question.

"Uh… Do you want some bacon or fish?" Naruto wondered hoping to deflect the question.

"Can I have some pancakes?" inquired Suzu as she forgot her previous question, much to Naruto's relief.

"Sure thing cutie." Replied Ino as she started making pancakes. Suzu sat down at the table with her head barely peaking over it enough to reach her plate effectively. After a short while Ino plopped some pancakes onto Suzu's plate and handed her the syrup. Naruto grabbed some of the already cooked food and began eating. Ino just sat there staring at Suzu as she ate. Just as Naruto was going to ask Ino if she was going to eat some of the food she had made she spoke first. "Naruto, what are you going to do with Suzu while you're training your team?" Naruto dropped his chop sticks; he had not thought about that and looked at the clock it was almost time for him to appear at the choosing ceremony.

"Ino, can you watch Suzu!?" Naruto gasped loudly as Suzu sucked all the syrup from the fork she was currently using.

"Nope."

"What, why!?"

"Don't yell, Naruto-nii, Momma says it's un-lady-like." Suzu chastised inciting a slight giggle from Ino.

"I have to be there too, I'm one of the recruit candidates." Ino responded. Naruto promptly shut up, and thought for a moment. No matter anyway he put it there was no way around it.

"Well, Kit, it looks like you're coming to work with me." Naruto smiled as he picked up the small Suzu and placed her on his right shoulder as she continued to suck the syrup off her fork.

"You're not going to make her go in that?" wondered Ino as she pointed to Suzu's yellow pajamas.

"What's wrong with that?"

"You really have no idea how to treat a girl do you?" Ino sighed as she took Suzu from Naruto's shoulder and placed her on her hip. Suzu was about five years of age but seemed smaller than most. She looked like a she wasn't at all a burden to Ino.

"I've taken care of you pretty well before." Naruto flashed an innuendo laden fox grin at the blonde girl and for the first time in a long time, Ino blushed. "Ha got you, YES, score on for me, baby!" He crowed but soon found himself laying face first on the floor with a swollen cheek and Ino standing over him with a vein protruding from her clenched fist.

"Jerk," Ino stomped into the back to help Suzu change, "saying that in front of a child, you're the worst."

About five minutes later, Ino returned with Suzu at hand and Naruto noticed something oddly similar about the two looked at them both. Ino had dressed Suzu in the exact same clothing that she had worn from the beginning. Suzu was clothed in a blue skirt and matching top with bandages around her thighs. Naruto winced a little as the tiny Suzu walked up to him, "Do I look good?" she wondered. Catching a slight glare from Ino, Naruto answered the only way he could have, in the positive. Satisfied, Ino left and Naruto pulled Suzu onto his shoulders. They didn't have any time to waste. Naruto raced to the Hokage's mansion. He had, at first decided to leap from building to building, but found this uncomfortable as Suzu took upon herself to grab a new fist fulls of hair with every jump.

VVV

After running to the Hokage's mansion as fast as he could he was met at the door by Shizune who, despite her naturally pleasant features, was looking somewhat wrathful. "Where have you been!?" She roared like a house wife whose husband had come home at three o'clock in the morning.

"I… overslept?"

"Doesn't matter; go to the main stage! The recruits are waiting," Shizune handed him a set of five fox masks, and stuck hand towards Suzu who promptly hid behind Naruto's leg, "Come now, You can't go on stage with Naruto." Suzu only hid completely.

"Onee-chan, it's alright."

"No, this is a serious matter…"

"I don't want Naruto-nii to leave me alone." Quipped Suzu

"It's fine, Shizune. Suzu won't cause any problems. Will you Suzu?"

"no."

"Fine," Shizune checked the time, "just get out there!"

Naruto picked Suzu up and ran toward the stage, nearly overshooting it, and looked out over the crowd. There must have been at least fifty recruit hopefuls all of which Naruto knew had passed the rigorous requirements to become ANBU hopefuls. When Naruto first applied, there had been more than one thousand from several of the villages in the fire country that had tried. Some had even been killed in the test. Naruto heard that only ten percent made the cut this year and most were from the leaf. After glaring at him with a glance that would make a grown man cry, Tsunade moved to the front of the stage and began the opening. Naruto was not the only new ANBU captain, but he had finished first, which meant he got first pick. It also meant that the ceremony couldn't start without him.

"All of you have earned the right and privilege of being selected as the very protectors of you're home village," Tsunade beamed, "but know this, most of you will not make it this round of selection and there is not another ANBU recruitment for a very long time. If you are not chosen to join one of these two new squads or to fill the ranks of those already established, know this. You are the best of the best, and your village is proud to have you!" The crowd gave a militaristic whoop and stood straight as Tsunade walked over to Naruto and whispered in his ear, "Go get your four."

With that Naruto moved to the front and, with a quick glance off stage to check on Suzu, he closed his eyes and concentrated on the many different auras in the field. First things first, he needed a powerhouse someone who could deal damage as well as take it. Naruto panned the crowd searching for an aura that met those qualifications and found them easily but there was one that stood out among the rest. It was soft yet hard, peaceful but fierce, but most of all it gave off an air of intelligence. He had found his first. "You!" Naruto called out as he opened his eyes to find that none other than Hinata Hyuga was bowed at his feet after having sped upon the stage. Hiding his surprise, he handed her the mask of the bird and signaled for her to stand next to him closing his eyes once again. This time he was searching for someone fast and skilled, someone whose strength lay in agility and cunning. He soon found the aura he wanted "You!" He called out again as he found Konohamaru at his feet. This time Naruto wasn't surprised so much as proud, and handed his pupil the monkey mask and signaled for him to stand to the left. Naruto closed his eyes once more; he needed to pick two more members of his team. Naruto had gotten two that he was satisfied with; If it had been up to him he probably would have stopped right there, but he knew he needed someone medically inclined. Naruto haphazardly scanned the crowd once more and found someone who glowed with medical ability. "You." He called out once more and opened his eyes to find a cherry blonde ninja he had never seen before knelt before him. To her he handed the bear mask and bid her to stand behind him. Only more to go and then he could get back to making sure Suzu was taken care of. So Naruto closed his eyes and focused on the crowd's chakra once more only this time he could not find an all-arounder as his he had hoped he would but instead he found a presence off to the side of the stage to find that there was a strange presence standing behind Suzu.

Instinctively, Naruto opened his eyes and snapped the small Suzu into his arms, while quickly scanned the surroundings of the little girl and found nothing. There was simply nobody. "Naruto-nii, am I on your team?" Suzu looked at him questioningly.

"Yes," Naruto replied as he swept the place were Suzu had been again and found no signs of the presence.

"Anbu squad formed," Tsunade crowed, "next Captain!" Naruto took his team and left the stage.

"Who's the munchkin?" wondered Konohamaru as he waggled his finger at the little girl as if she were a stray dog. Suzu grabbed the finger and bit inciting a loud yelp from Naruto-like boy.

"I-is she related to you, Naruto-kun?" Hinata probed timidly.

"Nah, she's a girl I'm charged with protecting. She's my hime-sama." Naruto smiled a fox-like grin at the little girl as she giggled at Konohamaru.

VVV

It wasn't until much later, that Tsunade was able to sit down in her office and take a breather from the day. Only she found that Genma had been waiting for her with some surprising news. "What is it Genma?"

"We've found Kurenai…"

_**AN:** Sorry guys this chapter was a pain to write but I just got finished watching the Aishiterze Baby anime and I gotta say it didn't really have any closure. I'm left thinking that there is going to be a season two. Meh Oh well. Let me know if you liked it. _


End file.
